Honk If the Lives of Black Gay Men Matter

In the Meantime Men, a Los Angeles based organization comprised of Black same-gender loving men, has taken a bold step in the fight against homophobia in our communities.

On Sunday’s, West Angelus Church of Godand Christ attendees will have more to look at than just what each other is wearing as they walk down Crenshaw Boulevard.Thanks to the efforts of Jeffrey King, founder of In the Meantime Men, a new billboard has gone up at the intersection of Crenshaw and Jefferson in the heart of Los Angeles.The bill board reads, “The lives of Black gay men matter to God.”

Hallelujah and praise the Lord!

West Angelus Church of God and Christ, for those of you not in the know, is the home of the Bishop Charles Blake and one of L.A.’s very own mega churches.You may remember Blake from the Outing Black Pastor’s Campaign.We explained that Blake enjoys a curiously close relationship with the Bush White House. In May of 2005, Blake and other Black pastors met with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice as the White House enlisted conservative African American clergy to support the President’s Faith-Based Initiative. Blake was also one of a handful of Black preachers flown to Austin, Texas to meet with the then President-elect Bush. And, last year, Bishop Blake supported white religious right conservative Lou Sheldon when he launched the Black Contract with America on Moral values.

West Angeles, quiet as it is kept, is also a church full of Black same-gender loving people who are in the closet and/or living lives on the DL.

Message!

So this billboard is doing double duty.A reminder to the good church folks that our lives matter and a reaffirming message to those still trapped in the closet that their lives are important.

It’s exactly this kind of activism that inspires me.

Next step, let’s have the billboard made into banners and we can all stand in front of the church this Sunday.Anyone game?Holla…

Jasmyne A. Cannick

Jasmyne Cannick is a nationally known writer and commentator on political, race and social issues. She was selected as one of ESSENCE Magazine’s 25 Women Shaping the World, one of the Most Influential African-Americans in Los Angeles Under 40, one of Los Angeles’ Most Fascinating Angelenos by the L.A. Weekly and one of 40 People Under 40 by the Advocate. She’s worked in the U.S. House of Representatives and at all levels of government helping to shape public opinion and encourage civic engagement while advocating for underrepresented and marginalized communities in the political arena. Learn more here.

What do you think?

I love it! I LOVE it! Surely the Holy Spirit inspired this ad campaign. I want to see billboards like this all over America. What a positive message . . . what a boon to beleaguered self-esteem! There needs to be one for Black Lesbians, too. Jazz, let’s spread the news about this far and wide!

Lightnessofbeing

The Spirit of Truth shining through the clouds of confusion Amen and Hallelujah! May the false prophets be made naked to see who and what they really are. Thanks for sharing this Jazz.